The director called me the next morning.
Her name was Mrs. Okafor. She remembered me from the tour.
They had one opening for Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. But pickup was at five-thirty sharp. Not six.
I arranged to visit before my shift with Noah so he could see it first. Then I wrote the pickup time on a sticky note and stuck it to the coffee maker for Mark.
He read it twice.
“Five-thirty,” he said. “I’d have to leave earlier.”
“Can you?”
“My supervisor says I can switch those two days. Six a.m. to two-thirty. Instead of nine to five-thirty.”
I pictured it. The alarm going off at four-forty-five in the dark. The daycare fee. Noah learning a whole brand-new routine with strangers.
None of this was what I’d imagined when I bought Diane that nice pillow.
“Are you willing to do that?” I asked him.
He looked at me for a long time.
Then he nodded. Slowly.
“Yes,” he said.
That morning, I took Noah to Little Sprouts for a visit.
He held my hand tight the whole time. He looked at the cubbies. The block corner. The little reading tent made out of a parachute.
“Do they have a zoo?” he whispered.
Mrs. Okafor smiled.
“We have a class pet,” she said. “A guinea pig named Waffles. Would you like to meet him?”
Noah thought about it. Then he nodded.
He fed Waffles a piece of carrot. And for a second, he forgot to hold my hand.
When I got home that afternoon, Noah ran ahead of me to the front door. And then he came back out onto the porch with a couch cushion under each arm.
His eyes were sad.
“Mama,” he said. “Grandma says the zoo is closed.”
I knelt down on the porch and helped him carry the cushions back inside to the couch.
I could arrange visits with Diane. I could make sure they still saw each other.
But I couldn’t promise him that nothing would change.
“We’ll build it again, buddy,” I told him. “I promise.”
Ethan Blake is a skilled Creative Content Specialist with a talent for crafting engaging and thought-provoking narratives. With a strong background in storytelling and digital content creation, Ethan brings a unique perspective to his role at TheArchivists, where he curates and produces captivating content for a global audience.
Ethan holds a degree in Communications from Zurich University, where he developed his expertise in storytelling, media strategy, and audience engagement. Known for his ability to blend creativity with analytical precision, he excels at creating content that not only entertains but also connects deeply with readers.
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Passionate about the art of storytelling, Ethan enjoys exploring themes of culture, history, and personal growth, aiming to inspire and inform with every piece he creates. Dedicated to making a lasting impact, Ethan continues to push boundaries in the ever-evolving world of digital content.